A Moment Caught In Time
by nostalgic-angel
Summary: A war is coming. Two people discover and take comfort from each other. SasuXSaku


**A/N:** Hi!! I know I haven't updated in a long time but pleeeease forgive me!! I was on vacation in SINGAPORE and AUSTRALIA baby!! chyaaa!! I was bored and I thought of this. I hope you like it and i took a lot of time to make write it.

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Time was never very forgiving to people who wasted it. What was done was done, and once it was over with there was no going back. And of course what was to be seen in the future, time also kept to itself.

But sometimes if your luck wins out, time will grant you to have one moment where everything seems to go right, and there's no rush. One moment where the rest of the world melts away into the background, and is as easy and natural to forget about as breathing.

Sometimes this moment brings you closer to someone you love, or closer to your self. Sometimes it tears you apart. But in our case, this moment brings two very different people close together in a time when they needed each other most.

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No one could explain the sense of fear and dread in the air that day. It lingered everywhere and no matter what you did, you could never escape it. That was the feeling of war. The feeling that the next day people, wether family members of friends, were going out into the world and fighting for you. It was the feeling of dread that you got when you knew most of them wouldn't come back alive.

Maybe that was why Sakura had ran away that night. It wasn't hard to do. Everyone was so preoccupied with last minute training and preparations that no one had noticed her slip past the gates and into the forest. It had been a relief to get away from the depressing city, and finally have a moment to herself.

Now as she sat watching the clouds drift in front of the moon, she could hardly believe that there was a war starting tomorrow, and that the small village that she called home was getting ready for the inevitable. Night had always been Sakura's favorite time to be outside. Of course it was dangerous; the shadows were allies to all sorts of enemies, but Sakura loved hearing the quiet that you could never get during the day. It calmed her in a way nothing else could.

But tonight Sakura just couldn't get herself to calm completely. Her mind was preoccupied with new healing techniques and jutsu's that she had learned just in time for the war. Her body was suffering the stress of severe training that she had done only hours before, in preparation. But most of all she was worried about her two best friends, Naruto and Sasuke.

It had been five years since Team Seven had first met, two years since they had brought Sasuke back, and one year since Orochimaru had died.

Naruto is now stronger then anybody in the village. Sasuke, is slowly working up to surpassing Itachi's strength. Soon he will have more power and experience then Itachi and he'll be able to beat him.

Over the years Sakura and Naruto had become close friends, and spent a lot of their time together. Sakura learned to respect Naruto and to stop being Sasuke's annoying fan girl and Naruto learned that Sakura didn't like him in the way that he liked her, and he eventually got over her.

Sasuke kept to himself. He talked to Sakura more, now that she had stopped obsessing over him, but he was still fairly cold.

Sakura didn't know wether to laugh or grimace at the memory of her younger self. She could see now, why Sasuke had ignored her. But now she was different and he still showed no signs of loving her. Sakura felt her stomach clench at the thought and she pushed it away.

_No. I have already fallen into depression once because of him. I won't do it again. _Sakura thought defiantly.

But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't push away the feeling of disappointment that Sasuke didn't like her the way she liked him. It was a horrible feeling that Sakura hated with all her heart.

For a moment everything seemed to go silent. The crickets chirping had suddenly ceased and the owls hooting had vanished. Sakura didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Sasuke.

"You can come out Sasuke. I know it's you." Sakura said quietly. Sasuke slowly stepped out from behind the tree's.

"You're unusually quiet." He said, sitting down next to her.

"Tomorrow we're going to war. There's a lot to think about. A lot to worry about." Sakura replied sadly.

Sasuke didn't reply. Sakura knew why; to him admitting you're afraid or worried was weak to him. It gave your enemies a way to hurt the people you love. To hurt you. Sakura knew that the reason why Sasuke thought like that was because of Itachi. She knew that it would take a lot to get Sasuke to relax and trust people. And that made Sakura want to cry for him.

"Sakura . . . Are . . . Are you crying?" Sasuke sounded appalled and even a little afraid.

Sakura put her fingers to her face, and sure enough the traitor tears were there. She wiped them away quickly.

"No."

"Why?" Sakura knew what he meant. She didn't know wether or not to answer.

"I'm crying because . . . For you." Sakura looked down when she said this not knowing what Sasuke's reaction would be.

An awkward silence engulfed them, more intense then Sakura had ever felt before. She didn't know what to do. What to say. Her mind seemed incapable of doing anything.

Sasuke, was also frozen. He had no clue what to say or do. He hadn't even done anything to make her cry, like he had the last time when they were twelve. The only other person that had cried for him was his mother. It made a feeling bubble up inside him, and he didn't know what it was; he didn't know wether to suppress it or just let it engulf him.

"D-Did I make you cry?" Sasuke managed to stutter out. He was surprised and angry at himself for stuttering. For showing weakness.

"Yes . . . But it's not your fault really. I was just . . . I was thinking about your life. And how horrible it was. I was thinking about you not being able to show emotions like love or friendship to anyone because you think it makes you weak. And it makes me feel so sad and angry. I want to scream at you, so I can get in your head that it's _not _weak. It's _not _making you less of a ninja. That's what me and Naruto have been trying to show you for years but you don't listen. And even though I know it's not your fault, I hate you for it because at the end of it all, it's all just excuses." Sakura had to try hard not to cry again.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. "I didn't ask nor do I need your pity and help."

"I know, I know. But Sasuke . . . I think that if you looked down deep enough I think you'd see I'm right; that maybe you want to be able to show your love and your friendship. To not have to bottle everything up all the time." Sakura could feel the panic of not getting through set in.

"That's exactly _it_!!" Sasuke spat. "You _think_. You don't _know_!! And sometimes what you think is a lot different then reality."

"Maybe in other cases, but in yours it's not. You're so afraid to let someone in, to let them get close to you. And in the end your not only hurting your self but your hurting everyone around you." Sakura's tone made it clear that she was angry and frustrated.

"Sakura you don't know _anything_! Once again your just being annoying." Sasuke spat, without thinking.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, this time instead of feeling hurt at the comment, she felt anger pulse through her.

"Well Sasuke did you ever think, that maybe _your _annoying? That maybe because you _don't _show your emotions that makes you weaker then someone who does? Or maybe I and Naruto don't want to have to deal with the walking wall all the time, or your ignorance whenever you're in a bad mood? Maybe the truth is Sasuke . . . _You _don't know anything, and _your _annoying." Sakura had never felt so much anger in all her life.

She pushed herself up from the ground, and turned on her heel. Sakura started to run, without looking back. She pushed chakra into her feet to make herself go faster. She could hear Sasuke chasing after her but she never slowed down, only making herself goes faster and faster, until his footsteps faded away and she no longer felt his presence.

After she was sure he was gone, she stopped and sank down underneath a tree. Her body was exhausted and she couldn't help but cry.

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Even after Sasuke had stopped chasing after her, he still couldn't keep the words from repeating over and over in his head.

_Maybe because you don't show your emotions that makes you weaker then someone who does? Maybe the truth is Sasuke . . . __**You **__don't know anything, and __**your **__annoying_

Sasuke had started to criticize himself. He was picking apart himself, looking at everything his did and judging it, seeing if Sakura's words were true.

They were.

She always was right when it came to this kind of stuff. Sasuke just never realized it until now. Now that it was too late.

The weight of the situation was crushing him, but he had made his choice.

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Sakura hadn't moved from the spot where she had stopped running. Her breathing had finally slowed down, and she had cried so much that she no longer had any tears to cry. Her body shook with exhaustion, and she knew she needed to get home. The war was starting tomorrow.

But Sakura didn't have the strength to get up and move. She felt so confused, and couldn't help but wonder if Sasuke was mad at her.

_Who am I kidding? Of course he's mad at me. Why should I care? He needed to know. I'm sick of being called annoying and weak. He need's to know that hiding emotion doesn't make you any stronger then someone who doesn't._

"He needs to know . . . " Sakura muttered under her breath.

"He needs to know what?" A voice asked.

Sakura whipped her head around to be met with onyx eyes.

"Sasuke."

"Hn."

Sakura sighed. He obviously hadn't changed that much. For a moment they sat in silence that, for once, Sasuke was the one to break.

"I owe you an explanation." He stated, still standing in the same spot he had been standing when she had first seen him. Sakura didn't respond just nodded once, waiting.

"I'm . . . Sorry." He started. Sakura still didn't say anything. "You were right. I'm weak, selfish, and full of hatred and revenge. I've forgotten how to trust, how to love . . . How to be happy. I have used my past as an excuse to act the way I do, and it's wrong. But I didn't and still don't know how to deal with it."

Sasuke hesitantly sat down next to Sakura.

"Itachi was my hero. I trusted him, admired him . . . I wanted to be exactly like him, even if my father payed far more attention to him then me. I was close to him. And then he killed everyone. He made me think that if I trusted anyone else they would do the same, so I taught myself to remain distanced from everyone . . . And then it grew into something more, until I forgot how to be happy. I kept everything bottled up inside and I thought that made me stronger. I thought that would prevent me from getting hurt again. I was wrong."

Sakura leaned her head against Sasuke's shoulder, and he awkwardly wrapped an arm around her, not sure what he was doing.

"And then I met you, Kakashi and Naruto. You were an annoying, fan girl who knew nothing. At first. Naruto was an overconfident idiot who had no clue. At first. Kakashi was an annoying teacher who liked to butt in and thought he knew everything. At first. I didn't care about any of you at all. At first. Then Naruto suddenly became a determined, smart ninja who was stronger then I would ever be. Kakashi suddenly became like the father I never had. And you Sakura . . . I didn't know what I felt about you. But now I realize what it is . . . Love."

Sakura didn't know what to say.

"Do you forgive me?" Sasuke asked uncertainly, after a moment.

Sakura nodded her head, incapable of speaking.

"Sasuke . . . " Sakura didn't get to finish her sentence, as she was cut off by something warm and soft pressing against her lips.

It took a couple of seconds before she realized what was happening. Sasuke was kissing her. Immediately she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter to her. She didn't want to let him go. It felt like a dream; too good to be true.

After a moment that felt like so much shorter, they broke apart gasping for breath. Both were disappointed it had to end so soon.

"Thank you." Sakura said. "You have no idea how long I've waited for that to happen. I love you Sasuke."

He smiled a real smile and Sakura couldn't help but smile back.

"You know that tomorrow is going to have to go back to normal. Me ignoring you and you trying to get my attention. It would be too dangerous if we were found out. One of us would surely be killed." Sasuke said quietly. Sakura agreed.

"I know, I know." She said, as he wrapped his strong arms around her, and pulled her on his lap. "But for now, for just a little while longer, let's just be together."

Sasuke pressed his lips against her forehead, wish had suddenly become very attractive.

Together they both sat in silence, taking comfort from each others presence. And suddenly the next day seemed like a hundred years away.

Sakura finally had her moment. The one moment where everything seemed to feel right. And Sasuke and Sakura had to agree. . . It couldn't be more beautiful.


End file.
